Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Senior Civil Engineer to join our dynamic, multidisciplinary water/wastewater design team. This role involves leading the delivery of civil engineering solutions across all project stages—from feasibility and detailed design to construction support—within an agile, Design & Build environment. You will engage directly with clients, contractors, and internal teams to develop high-quality, safe, and compliant designs, while also supporting work-winning activities and mentoring junior engineers. A strong background in UK water sector projects, including infrastructure and non-infrastructure assets, is essential. Chartered status (or working towards it), excellent communication skills, and a collaborative mindset are key to success in this role.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the successful delivery of projects across UK project lifecycles: feasibility studies, front-end to detailed design (incl. Design and Build), and construction support.
• If required, contribute and/or lead work winning initiatives through production of proposals, fees, and scope definition, in response to client tenders/requests, in accordance with Purestream bid management system.
• Client and construction team engagement (incl. Design & Build) to lead and contribute to discussions on technical water civil engineering solutions, to technical and non-technical clients – both during project delivery and bidding stages.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary environment across teams in the UK and overseas, to ensure successful delivery of integrated design solutions.
• Lead and contribute to the efficient delivery of projects to meet programme and budget, complying with OCU business management governance.
• Production and review of design deliverables including engineering design calculation, drawings and report writing for projects in accordance with relevant design standard, codes and Purestream design management system.
• Lead and contribute to quality and safe design of technical solutions for projects in accordance with relevant design standards and codes.
• Interpret geotechnical, topographical, GPR reports and studies to ensure design of pipelines and other civil assets are safely and efficiently built and installed.
• Act as a mentor to other team members, potentially with line management responsibility.

Skills & Experience

• Educated to degree level within engineering or equivalent field, with solid knowledge of infrastructure / non infrastructure projects and Chartered or working towards chartership with the relevant institution.
• Hands on experience (10+ years) of design/design-&-build/project and bid delivery in the water and/or wastewater engineering sector in the UK.
• Highly motivated, organised and with a strong desire to lead and contribute to technical excellence within project teams and wider OCU team/practice.
• Experience of working with contractors to deliver the successful implementation of engineering solutions in the Design & Build environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work both collaboratively and independently within a multidisciplinary team including with Clients, Contractors and colleagues alike.
• Flexible approach to work type and locations for project assignments, if required, with a hybrid working model

Company Information

OCU leads the way in end-to-end infrastructure engineering in the utilities, digital, and energy markets, specialising in safely and efficiently delivering complex client requirements. Our breadth of capabilities and depth of operational capacity, paired with our cutting-edge technology, ensure that we are not just part of the market; we are leading it.

Working directly with many of the country’s leading power, energy transition, water, telecoms and digital clients, we are looking for the very best talent to join our growing team.